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Photographic 

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CIHM/ICMH 
Microfiche 


CIHIVI/ICIVIH 
Collection  de 
microfiches. 


Canadian  Institute  for  Historical  Microreproductions  /  Institut  Canadian  de  microreproductions  historiques 


<\ 


Technical  and  Bibliographic  Notes/Notes  techniques  et  bibliographiques 


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L'Institut  a  microfilm^  le  meilleur  exemplaire 
qu'il  lui  a  ete  possible  de  se  procurer.  Les  details 
de  cet  exemplaire  qui  sont  peut-dtre  uniques  du 
point  de  vue  bibliographique,  qui  peuvent  modifier 
une  image  reproduite.  ou  qui  peuvent  exiger  une 
modification  dans  la  m^thode  normale  de  filmage 
sont  indiquds  ci-dessous. 


□    Coloured  covers/ 
Couverture  de  couleur 


D 


n 


n 


n 


n 


Covers  damaged/ 
Couverture  endommagee 


□    Covers  restored  and/or  laminated/ 
Couverture  restaur^e  et/ou  pelliculde 


□    Cov« 
Let; 


Cover  title  missing/ 

tre  de  couverture  manque 


I — I    Coloured  maps/ 


Cartes  g^ographiques  en  couleur 


Coloured  ink  (i.e.  other  than  blue  or  black)/ 
Encre  de  couleur  (i.e.  autre  que  bleue  ou  noire) 


r~1    Coloured  plates  and/or  illustrations/ 


Planches  at/ou  illustrations  en  couleur 

Bound  with  other  material/ 
Reli^  avec  d'autres  documents 

Tight  binding  may  causa  shadows  or  distortion 
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distorsion  la  long  da  la  marge  int6riaure 

Blank  leaves  added  during  restoration  may 
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mais,  lorsque  caia  dtait  possible,  ces  pages  n'ont 
pas  iti  fiim^as. 

Additional  comments:/ 
Commentaires  supplimentaires; 


□    Coloured  pages/ 
Pages  da  couleur 

□    Pages  damaged/ 
Pages  endommagdes 


D 


Pages  restored  and/or  laminated/ 
Pages  restaur^es  et/ou  pellicul^es 


I     "l/Pages  discoloured,  stained  or  foxed/ 
llA    Pages  ddcolor^es,  tacheties  ou  piquees 

□    Pages  detached/ 
Pages  ddtachees 

r~~]/showthrough/ 
Lkj    Transparence 

□    Quality  of  print  varies/ 
Qualite  inigale  de  I'impression 

□    Includes  supplementary  material/ 
Comprend  du  matiriel  supplementaire 

□    Only  edition  available/ 
Seule  Edition  disponible 


n 


Pages  wholly  or  partially  obscured  by  errata 
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ensure  the  best  possible  image/ 
Les  pages  totalement  ou  partiellement 
obscurcies  par  un  feuillet  d'errata,  une  pelure, 
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obtenir  la  meilleure  image  possible. 


This  item  is  filmed  at  the  reduction  ratio  checked  below/ 

Ce  document  est  filmA  au  taux  de  reduction  indiqui  ci-dessous. 


10X 

14X 

18X 

22X 

26X 

30X 

^ 

' 

12X 


16X 


20X 


24X 


28X 


32X 


The  copy  filmed  here  has  been  reproduced  thanks 
to  the  generosity  of: 

Metropolitan  Toronto  Library 
Canadian  History  Department 


L'exemplaire  fllm6  fut  reproduit  grAce  i  la 
g6n6ro8it6  de: 

Metropolitan  Toronto  Library 
Canadian  History  Department 


The  images  appearing  here  are  the  best  quality 
possible  considering  the  condition  and  legibility 
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plus  grand  soin.  compte  tenu  de  la  condition  et 
de  la  nettet6  de  l'exemplaire  film6,  et  en 
conformity  avec  les  condit  ons  du  contrat  de 
filmage. 


Original  co|,ies  in  printed  paper  covers  are  filmed 
beginning  with  the  front  cover  and  ending  on 
the  last  page  with  a  printed  or  illustrated  impres- 
sion, or  the  back  cover  when  appropriate.  All 
other  original  copies  are  filmed  beginning  on  the 
first  page  with  a  printed  or  illustrated  impres- 
sion, and  ending  on  the  last  page  with  a  printed 
or  illustrated  impression. 


Les  exemplaires  originaux  dont  la  couverture  en 
papier  est  imprim6e  sont  film6s  en  commen9ant 
par  le  premier  plat  et  en  terminant  soit  par  la 
derniftre  page  qui  comporte  une  empreinte 
d'impression  ou  d'illustration.  soit  par  le  second 
plat,  selon  le  cas.  Tous  les  autres  exemplaires 
originaux  sont  film6s  en  commen9ant  par  la 
premiire  page  qui  comporte  une  empreinte 
d'impression  ou  d'illustration  et  en  terminant  par 
!e  dernidre  page  qui  comporte  une  telle 
»mpreinte. 


The  last  reco^'ded  frame  on  each  microfiche 
shall  contain  the  symbol  ^^  (meaning  "CON- 
TINUED"), or  the  symbol  V  (meaning  "END"), 
whichever  applies. 


Un  des  symboles  suivants  apparattra  sur  la 
derni^re  image  de  cheque  microfiche,  selon  le 
cas:  le  symbole  — ^-signifie  "A  SUiVRE".  le 
symbole  V  signifie  "FIN". 


Maps,  plates,  charts,  etc.,  may  be  filmed  at 
different  reduction  ratios.  Those  too  large  to  be 
entirely  included  in  one  exposure  are  filmed 
beginning  in  the  upper  left  hand  corner,  left  to 
right  and  top  to  bottom,  as  many  frames  as 
required.  The  following  diagrams  illustrate  the 
method: 


Les  cartes,  planches,  tableaux,  etc.,  peuvent  Atre 
film6s  d  des  taux  de  reduction  diffdrents. 
Lorsque  le  document  est  trop  grand  pour  dtre 
reproduit  en  un  seul  clich6,  il  est  film6  d  partir 
de  Tangle  sup6rieur  gauche,  de  gauche  d  droite, 
et  de  haut  en  bas,  en  prenant  le  nombre 
d'images  ndcessaire.  Les  diagrammes  suivants 
illustreiit  la  mdthode. 


1 

2 

3 

32X 


1 

2 

3 

4 

5 

6 

SARNIA 


ri/MFTO/V) 


WARWICK 


GREAT  WESTEf1N^AlLWAY_ 


MAP  OF  THE  CANADA  OIL  DISTRICTS. 

BNURAVBD  fi'OR  THIS  WORK. 


01 


c 


^COMPILED  I 


THE 


n?xa::H] 


OIL  DISTRICTS 


:1 


Oiri 


CA.]NrA.D^, 


tJOMPILED  FROM  OFFICIAL  AND  OTHER  RELIABLE    SOURCES. 


,.'■    '•/ 


TTITH  A.  MAr>. 


GENERAL  AGENTS  FOR  THE  PUBLISHER, 

THE   AMERICAN  NEWS    COMPANY, 

lie  ^>tiaci  121  IsTctssti  L.L  St., 

NEW  YORK. 
18G5. 


<i.  7  f  ;^  C  ;z- 


MAY  1  9  vM 


The  cc 

T.    Gait 

and  Dr. 

i 

Hon.  R. 

6 

toms,  T. 

1 

other  g( 

p 

renderec 

r 

for  whii 

I 

tlianks. 

1 

little  w( 

by  A .  N 

which  I 

>, 

duced. 

J.  FAHNESTOCK,  ENGRAVER  &.  PlUNTfiR, 

The  Cheapest  in  the  World, 

13  AND    15  PARK   BOW,   NEW  YORK. 


Tlic  compiler  is  indebted  to   the   ITonorable   A. 
T.    Gait,  Minister  of  Finance,  Sir  W.  E.    Logan 
and  Dr.  T.  Sterry  Hunt,  of  the  Geological  Bureau, 
Hon.  K  S.  M.  Bouchette,  Commissioner  of  Cus- 
toms, T.  D.  Ledyard,   Esq.,  Toronto,  and   several 
other  gentlemen,  for    valuable   assistance   kindly 
rendered  him  toward  the  compiling  of  this  pamphlet, 
for  which  favors,  they  will  please  accept  his  hearty 
tlianks.     He  has  freely  consulted  a  very  valuable 
little  work  called  "  Petroleum  and  its   Products" 
by  A.  Norman  Tate,  F.  C.  S.,  of  Liverpool,  from 
which  much  valuable  information   has  been    de- 
duced, 

JOHN  F.  TYRRELL. 


f 


IISTTRODUCTORY. 

The  enormous  demand  for  Petroleum  for  actual 
consumption,  as  an  illuminating  agent,  both  at  home 
and  abroad,  and  the  new  uses  to  which  it  is  every 
day  being  adapted,  render  it  one  of  the  most 
important  products  of  the  American  Continent. 

Although  Petroleum  is  no  novelty  in  the  world — 
it  having  been  in  use  for  many  centuries  prior  to  tho 
Christian  Era — the  American  region  is  the  only 
one,  ancient  or  modern,  that  has  ever  attained  any 
great  degree  of  developement. 

The  State  of  Pennsylvania  hap,  undoubtedly,  the 
greatest  reputation  as  an  oil  producing  territory, 
of  any  place  ever  yet  heard  of;  but  it  does  not 
necessarily  follow  that  Pennsjlvania  has  the  rich- 
est, or  most  valuable  soil,  for  the  production  of  the 
oleaginous  treasure.  The  caune  of  her  having  been 
the  principal  producing  State,  is  owing,  simply  to 
the  fact,  that  her  resources  have  been  well  developed. 

Those  who  carefully  investigate  the  matter  will 
see  that  there  are  many  places  which  are  destined, 
not  only  to  equal,  but  surpass  her  in  both  tho 
quantity  and  quality  of  oil  produced. 

That  territory  upon  which  it  is  our  province  to 
treat,  in  fast  enlisting  the  attention  of  the  American 
people^  and  its  many  advantages  and  superiorities, 
are  as  rapidly  becoming  admitted  facts. 


THE  OIL  DISTRICTS  OF  CANADA. 

Tho  grounds  upon  wiiich  it  claims  precedence 
over  Pennsylvania,  are  bricQy  these: — 

First — The  oil  has  greater  illuminating  power. 

Second — A  greater  quantity  of  rclined  is  pro- 
cured from  a  given  quantity  of  crude. 

l^hird — The  oil  is  found  much  nearer  the  surface 

Fourth — The  cost  of  labor  is  less. 

Fifth— TliQTQ  is  no  tax  or  duty  whatever  on 
either  crude  or  refined. 

iS'foj/A— Barrels  &c.  can  be  had  much  cheaper, 
and  are  made  on  the  spot. 

Seventh— The  facility  for  transportation  is  greater. 

Eighth— TliQ  fact  that  in  Pennsylvania  only  four 
out  of  every  ten  wells  are  successful ;  in  Canada, 
eight  out  of  every  ten. 


^a^ 


THE 


OIL  DISTRICTS  OF  CANADA. 


The  great  oil  district  of  Canada  lies  in  tho 
narrow  strip  of  land  dividing  Lakes  Erie  and 
Huron,  in  the  extreme  south-western  part  of  West- 
ern Canada.  The  township  of  Enniskillen,  in  the 
county  of  Lambton,  is  the  chief  centre  of  attraction, 
but  oil  is  known  to  exist  all  through  that  locality. 
The  village  of  Oil  Springs  (which  is  the  principal 
village  of  Enniskillen,  and  the  nucleus  of  tho 
wells,)  is  in  the  southern  part  of  the  township, 
twelve  miles  distant  by  a  plank  road  from  Wyoming 
Station,  on  the  Great  Western  Railway,  and  about 
seventy  miles  from  Detroit  in  the  State  of  Michi- 
gan. There  is  also  direct  communication  by  an- 
other plank  road  with  the  town  of  Sarnia,  distance 
eighteen  miles,  on  the  river  St.  Clair,  where  vcsbcis 


v^ 


THE  OIL  DISTRICTS  OF  CANADA. 


have  been  laden  with  Petroleum  for  Liverpool   di- 
rect. 

The  means  of  locomotion  have  been  wonderfully 
improved  within  the  past  year  or  two,  and  the  cost 
of  transportation  is  now  not  more  than  one-sixth  of 
wliat  it  was  in  1862. 

'  By  two  Acts  of  the  Provincial  Parliament, — 26 
Vic. :  Caps  XV  and  XVIII,-— the  Great  Western 
Railway,  and  the  Oil  Springs  Road  Company,  or 
the  Grand  Trunk  Railwa}  as  their  representatives, 
are  authorized  to  connect  '  jir  lines  of  Railway, 
from  such  points  as  thc^  '  determine,  with  the 
village  of  Oil  Springs.  This  connection  has  not 
yet  been  made,  but  it  no  doubt  will  be,  during  the 
coming  summer,  as  the  rapidly  growing  increase  in 
supply  renders  it  a  mercantile  necessity. 

The  township  of  Enniskillen  is  intersected  by  nu- 
merous small  streams — the  tributaries  of  Black  and 
Bear  Creeks.  Black  Creek  was  known  to  be  coat- 
ed with  a  black,  oily  matter,  (from  which  it  derives 
its  name)  which  was  used  by  the  squatters  for  lu- 
bricating and  other  purposes. 

As  it  floats  on  the  surface  of  the  creek,  and  is 
carried  down  gradually  by  the  stream,  the  most 
beautiful  and  diverse  hues  appear.  The  Canada 
Company  employed  for  some  time,  a  chemist,  in  the 
hope  that  he  would  be  able  to  procure  dyes.  IIo 
did  so  to  some  extent ;  and,  a  very  fine  and  beau- 
tiful blue,  which  he  produced,  is  exhibited  at  the 
refinery.  But  he  unfortunately  died,  and  his  iu- 
vention  was  lost  with  him. 


8 


THE  OIL  DISTRICTS  OP  CANADA. 


In  1857  Mr.  W.  M.  Williams,  of  Hamilton,  C. 
W.,  conceived  the  idea  of  distilling  and  relinini?:  a 
toui,'li,  tan7  sort  of  bitumen,  collected  in  largo 
ponds,  covering  several  acres,  wliich  arc  now  known 
as  the  Gum  Beds.  The  principal  difficulty  which  lie 
encountered  was  the  lack  of  clean  water,  and  in 
search  of  the  desired  fluid  he  sank  a  well,  which, 
to  his  amazement,  and  I  may  safely  add,  disgust, 
yielded  this  same  bitumen,  only  in  a  more  limpid 
state.     This  was  the  first  oil  well  found  in  Canada, 

When  the  fact  became  known,  many  adventurers 
repaired  to  the  spot,  and  commenced  digging  for 
oil.  At  this  time  surface  oil  only  was  found,  the 
rock  not  yet  having  been  penetrated.  Unfortu- 
nately for  the  fair  fame  of  the  region,  and  also  for 
the  parties  themselves,  the  class  of  persons  who  un- 
dertook its  developement,  have,  until  lately,  been 
of  a  class  wholly  incompetent  to  the  task.  Little 
or  no  capital  was  invested,  and  consequently  the 
rudest  means  only  were  employed. 

We  are  told  by  Sir  William  Logan  that  the  dis- 
tricts yielding  oil  in  Western  Canada,  were  made 
known  by  natural  oil  springs,  small  quantities  of 
Petroleum  being  found  floating  on  the  surface  of  the 
wuter,  or,  as  in  Enniskillen  forming,  by  its  drying 
up,  beds  of  a  tarry  bitumen.  Where  these  indica- 
tions were  found,  wells  were  sunk  through  the  clay 
some  lifty  or  sixty  feet  deep,  where  a  bed  of  gravel 
was  generally  met  with,  which  yielded  oil;  but 
these  surface  wells  have  never  yielded  as  large  a 
quantity  or  as  good  a  quality  of  oil  as  has  since 


"V 


48^*' 


THE  OIL  DISTRICTS  OF  CANADA. 


9 


i 


^•^ 


been  obtained  by  borinj^  tliroui^h  the  older  stratifi- 
ed rocks  bciicatli.     In  18G1  when  these  borings  were 
first  made,  the  presence  of  oil,  which  is  now  indi- 
cated in  various  ways,  usually  by  the  escape  of  gas, 
or  the  appearance  of  oil  upon  the  cable  attached  to 
the  tools,  showed  itself  by  the  rush  of  oil  to  the  sur- 
face, constituting  what  are  called  flowing  wells. — 
The   supply  from  these  wells  was  enormous.     In 
some  cases  as  many  as  two  thousand  barrels  being 
taken  from  one  well  in  the  course  of  twenty- four 
hours.     Valuable  as  a  good  oil  bed  is  now,  it  was 
something  to  *  strike  ile  '  in  those  days,  when  the 
fortunate  possessor  of  the  well  was  only  concerned 
about  how  he  could  prevent  its  waste,  and  secure 
the  proceeds  of  his  valuable  discovery.     In  1862 
there  were  no  less  than  thirty-three  of  those  flow- 
ing wells  at  this  point,  yielding  variously  from  fifty 
to  a  thousand  barrels  a  day,  and  going  up,  as  we 
have  said,  in  the  case  of  one  well,  to  the  extent  of 
two  thousand  barrels  in  twenty-four  hours. 

In  many  instances  persons  went  there  and  com- 
menced digging  for  oil,  working  laboriously  with 
high  hopes  of  immediate  wealth,  but  their  little 
supply  of  funds  becoming  exhausted,  have  been  com- 
pelled to  abandon  their  well,  and  with  it,  their 
fondest  expectations.  A.  few  days  after,  others, 
scarce  more  fortunate  than  themselves,  would  become 
possessors  of  the  half  sunk  shaft,  and  by  the  ex- 
penditure of  only  a  few  hours  labor  stii'.e  a  \cii:  of 
oil ;  yielding  (even  with  their  rude  means  of  pump- 
ing) from  ten  to  twenty  barrels  per  day.     The  de- 


10 


TIIS  OIL  DISTRICTS  OP  CANADA, 


mand  for  Petroleum  at  that  time  was  so  very  !!Imit- 
ed,  and  tlie  cost  of  transportation  from  the  wells 
so  groat,  that  it  w  at  best,  only  a  moderately 
paying  commodit' 

The  means  er  »,. :  r  for  getting  the  oil  to  Wyo- 
ming, "was  sorr  »es  u  sort  of  miniature  canal,  con- 
sisting of  an  ordinary  ditch  filled  with  slush  or 
mud,  in  which  the  barrel  was  placed  and  towed  by 
liand  or  otherwise,  for  a  distance  of  twelve  miles  to 
the  railway  station.  The  roads  were  then  in  suuli 
a  frightful  condition  that  it  was  an  utter  impossi- 
bility to  move  an  empty  wagon,  not  to  speak  of  one 
laden  with  oil. 

On  the  16th  of  January  1862,  the  first  flowing 
well  was  struck.  It  is  known  as  the  Sliaw  well, 
and  was  sunk  by  a  man  whose  name  it  bears. 

We  find  the  following  in  the  Toronto  Globe  short- 
ly after  the  discovery  of  this  well ; — 

"  One  of  the  elements  of  romance  at  all  times  ha3 
been  the  sudden  elevation  of  individuals  from  pen- 
lU'y  to  wealth  and  social  consideration.  Having 
settled  to  our  own  satisfaction  that  romance  is  not 
dead,  we  plunge  in  medias  res — that  is  to  say,  into 
a  certain  deep  well  near  Victoria,  on  lot  18,  in  tlio 
Second  Concession  of  the  Township  of  Enniskillen. 
In  that  well  a  certain  John  Shaw  centered  all  his 
hopes  and  expectations  for  many  long  months. — 
Painfully  did  he  dig,  painfully  drill,  painfully 
pump;  expending  first  cash  and  then  credit,  and 
afterwards  his  own  muscles  on  a  wearisome  task. 
Not  a  sign  of  oil  did  he  find.     His  neiu:hbora'  wells 


<i 


'l 


<• 


THE  OIL  DISTRICTS  OP  CANADA.  11 

were  overflowing ;  he  alone  had  received  no  share 
of  the  petroleum  stream.  The  middle  of  last  Jan- 
uary found  him  a  ruined,  hopeless  man,  jeered  at 
by  his  neighbors,  his  pockets  empty,  liis  clothes  in 
tatters,^ — as  our  neighbors  across  the  line  say — dead 
broke.  Report  ^ays,  that  on  a  certain  day  in  Jan- 
uary, ho  found  himself  unable  to  pursue  his  work. 
Not  to  put  too  tine  a  point  on  it,  his  boots  had  utterly 
given  out,  and  to  enable  him  to  paddle  about  in  the 
wet  and  cold,  a  new  pair  was  absolutely  necessary. 
In  fear  and  trembling,  as  we  may  suppose,  John 
Shaw  proceeded  to  a  neighboring  store,  and  liaving 
no  money  asked — sad  necessity — for  a  pair  of  boots 
on  credit.  Report  sayeth  not  whether  the  refusal 
was  kindly  administered  in  the  spirit  of  self-defenso 
which  tr?\ders  must  sometimes  fall  back  upon,  or 
whether  it  was  the  purse-pride  of  the  rich  man 
looking  down  on  his  humble  neighbor  ;  but,  certain 
it  was,  that  the  boots  were  refused  to  John.  Shaw, 
and  he  returned  to  his  well  a  sadder  man  than  ho 
left  it,  protesting  that  he  would  work  no  longer 
than  that  day,  if  success  did  not  crown  his  efforts, 
he  would  cast  the  mud  of  Enniskillen  from  his  old 
boots  and  depart  to  more  congenial  climes. 

Moodily  he  took  up  his  drill,  and  sternly  struck  it 
into  the  rock.  Hark  !  what  is  that  ?  A  sound  of 
liquid  from  the  depths  below ;  hissing  and  gurgling 
as  it  escapes  from  the  confinement  of  centuries. — 
Does  it  cease  ?  No,  see  it  comes,  growing  in  volume 
every  moment.  It  fills  the  pipe,  it  fills  the  well ; 
still  it  conies.    Five  minutes ;  ten  minutes ;  in  fii'toen 


12 


THE  OIL  DISTRICTS  OP  CANADA. 


H  NSi    :->■!! 


minutes  it  has  reached  the  top  of  the  well ;  it 
overflows:  it  fills  a  tank  ;  it  overflows  that;  vain 
are  all  attempts  to  check  its  career  ;  resistless  it 
pou'>:  in  a  nng-lity  tii-e  down  the  declivity  into 
Black  Creek,  and  is  borne  away  by  the  waters  to 
the  St.  Clair  and  the  lakes.  Who  shall  attempt  to 
describe  the  feelings  of  Jplin  Shaw  at  that  moment? 
We  shall  not,  for  we  do  not  know  how  he  showed 
them.  The  by-standers  have  not  recorded  whether 
he  wept,  or  whether  he  took  off  his  hat  and  shout- 
ed, hoorny!  Anything  might  be  excused  at  such  a 
moment.  We  suspect  that,  like  a  philosophic  Yan- 
kee, he  went  to  work  to  *'  save  the  ile.'*  But  the 
report  of  the  flowing  well  spread  like  wildfiro 
through  the  settlement,  and  "  John  Shaw's  territo- 
ry "  became  the  centre  of  attraction.  In  the  morn- 
ing he  had  been  "  Old  Shaw  ;"'  if  he  had  spelt  his 
name  with  a  "  P."  before  it,  they  could  not  havo 
described  him  more  contemptuously.  Now,  he  was 
Mr-  Shaw." 

"  This  well  extended  through  fifty  feet  of  clay 
from  the  surface,  and  one  hundred  and  fifty-eight 
feet  through  the  rock,  in  all  two  hundred  and  eight 
feet  from  the  surface.  The  iron  pipes  used  to  con- 
vey the  oil  from  the  rock  in  the  flowing  wells  vary 
from  one  and  a  half  to  two  and  a  half  inches  in  di- 
ameter. Shaw';,  well  had  one  and  a  half  inch 
pipe." 

The  Black  &  Mathison  well  at  the  east  Gum 
Beds  was  another  very  extraordinary  well,  and 
yielded  immense  quantities,  throwing  the  oil  high 


%. 


_^y 


THE  OIL  DISTRICTS  OP  CANADA. 


13 


^> 


t 


h'/^ 


<*/ 


in  the  air,  (marks  of  which  are  still  to  be  seen  on 
the  trees  in  tlie  vicinity)  and  covering  over  twenty 
acres  of  land  with  oil.*  This  well  was  also  grossly 
mismanaged. 

In  18G2,  oil  sold  at  the  wells  for  twenty-five  cents 
per  barrel,  and,  indeed,  it  is  said  to  have  changed 
hands  at  as  low  a  price  as  ten  cents.  Now,  it  is  in 
demand  at  from  four  to  live  dollars  the  barrel,  in 
Gold. 

The  average  depth  of  the  surface  wells  was  from 
fifty  to  eighty  feet ;  their  product  is  a  very  heavy 
oil,  used  chiefly  for  lubricating  purposes.  The  rock 
wells  vary  from  two  hundred  to  three  hundred  feet, 
and  produce  a  superior  oil  for  illuminating  purpos- 
es. Sir  W.  E.  Logan  in  his  *«  Geology  of  Canada," 
p.  386,  says  : — "  The  oil  springs  of  Enniskillen, 
which  are  supposed  to  have  their  source  in  the  Cor- 
niferous  limestone,  rifce  through  the  Hamihon  shales, 
in  which  numerous  wells  and  borings  have  been 
sunk  to  various  depths.  These,  meeting  with  fis- 
sures connected  probably  with  anticlinals,  bring  to 
the  surface  large  quantities  of  Petroleum,  often  ac- 
companied by  inflamable  gas  and  saline  waters." 

When  this  oil  was  first  put  upon  the  market,  it 
was  refined  by  persons,  who,  like  those  engaged  in 

♦  Daring  the  years  1801  to  1864  there  was  exported  from  the  Prov- 
ince two  rnillioQS,  two  huadred  and  ninety-two  thousand,  seven  hundred 
and  lirty-eight  gallons  of  Petroleum,  at  a  Castoms  valuation  of  three 
hundred  and  fifty-three  thousand,  eight  hundred  and  fifty  five  dollars, 
or  a  trifle  over  fifteen  cents  per  gallon.  Of  this,  fliteentwentieths,  (or 
three-foartha)  went  to  Great  B  itain;  three-twentictbs  to  tiie  Ur-'  d 
States  and  inaritioie  B.  N.  A.  PiOviuceB;  and  twu-tweutictha  to  Ovuer 
foreign  cuuntriea. 


14 


TUE  OIL  DISTRICTS  OP  CANADA. 


producing  the  crude,  were  unqualified  to  treat  it 
properly.  The  consequence  was  that  it  was  but 
partially  refin«d,  and  still  more  partially  deodoriz- 
ed. A  natural  prejudice  was  created  against  Can- 
ada Oil,  which  existed  for  a  time,  but  as  soon  as  it 
became  properly  refined,  it  was  found  to  yield  a 
more  brilliant  light  thnn  Pennsylvania  oil,  and  to 
be  in  many  respects,  of  a  much  superior  quality. 

As  an  instance  of  prejudice  against  the  crude, 
we  may  mention  the  fact,  that  some  time  ago,  the 
Canada  Rock  Oil  Co.  shipped  a  cargo  of  oil  to 
England.  Upon  its  arrival  at  Liverpool  great  dif- 
ference of  opinion  was  expressed,  as  to  whether  it 
was  Pennsylvania  or  Canada  oil.  Buyers  were  un- 
able to  determine  ;  some  declaring  it  Pennsylvania 
and  others  a  mixture  of  the  two ;  but  all  agreed 
that  it  was  not  pure  Canadian.  At  last  the  con- 
signees wrote  to  the  owners,  stating  that  if  it  was 
really  Pennsylvanian  they  could  get  for  it  a  certain 
price,  but  if  Canadian,  it  must  be  sold  for  five 
cents  per  gallon  less. 

A  correspondent  of  the  Globe,  in  a  late  letter  from 
Oil  Springs,  in  speaking  of  the  demand  for  oil,  says: 
"  One  firm  alone  here  have  orders  for  20,000  bar- 
rels, but  they  are  unable  to  execute  it,  the  sup- 
ply being  too  limited,  and  I  am  told  that  orders  for 
200,000  barrels  in  addition  have  been  received. — 
The  production  may  and  will  increase,  but  it  can 
scarcely  overtake  the  demand,  now  that  col.  oil 
has  got  into  such  general  use." 

There  are  European  orders  alone,  yet  unfilled, 


^) 


THE  OIL  DISTRICTS  OP  CANADA. 


15 


for  600,000  bbls.,  or  three  times  the  amount  men- 
tioned in  this  extract. 

The  Montreal  'Trade  Review  sums  up  the  rela- 
tive cost  of  freight  to  New  York,  the  csliuiuto  being 
based  on  Gold  at  150,  as  follows: 


CANADA. 

From  Wells  to  Railway,  20 

Rail  and  Canal  t  j  New  York,  1  3U 


PENNSYLVANIA. 

Taxes  at  Well,  per  bbl 
Prom  Wells  to  Railway, 
Rail  to  New  York, 


66 

0)6 

1  50 


152 
1  32 


2  82 


s> 


In  Tavor  of  Canada, 

The  item  of  freight  from  Pennsylvania  is,  if  any- 
thing, under-estimated,  as  the  facilities  of  trans- 
portation are  very  limited.  On  the  other  hand  the 
item  of  freight  from  Canada  is  a  little  over  some 
estimates. 

The  cost  of  transportation  from  wells  to  Rail- 
way, given  above  at  twenty  cents,  is  evidently  in- 
tended for  points  most  convenient  to  the  stations. 
The  rate  from  Oil  Springs  to  Wyoming  is  about 
thirty-five  cents  per  barrel. 

There  are  now  in  activ*e  operation  in  the  vicinity 
of  Oil  Springs  about  sixty-five  rock  wells,  with 
daily  additions  to  their  number. 

Many  of  these  wells  are  not  yet  supplied  with 
steam  engines,  and  these  are  worked  by  the  ingeni- 
ous contrivance  of  a  long  lever,  attached  by  a  rope 
to  a  pedel  board,  upon  which  a  man,  or  in  some 
cases  two  men,  stand  and  enjoy  themselves,  at  what 
in  their  younger  days  they  would  doubtless  have 
known  by  the  appellation  of  "  teeter.'' 

In  referring  to  this  subject.  Professor  Cutting  of 


IG 


THE  OIL  DISTRICTS  OF  CANADA. 


Rochester  University,  says :-  -«*  In  all  the  district,  I 
saw  but  two  derricks  which  American  oil  producers 
deem  fit  for  use,  and  both  of  these  were  of  recent 
construction.  Much  of  the  boring*  and  pumping 
liave  been  by  spring-poles  and  the  use  of  the  foot, 
and  I  saw  a  very  good  engine  pumping  twenty  bar- 
rels per  day,  the  post  in  which  the  walking-beam 
worked  swaying  transversely  to  the  beam,  and 
wasting  power  which,  economized  wit'i  a  little 
labor,  would  have  added  probably  twenty  dollars 
per  day  to  the  product  of  the  woii.  It  was  time 
that  operations  were  suspended,  amid  such  manifes- 
tations, for  a  better  and  more  productive  agency. 
Tliis  explanation  of  idle  wells  and  small  produc- 
tion, which  I  had  received  in  answer  to  general  in- 
quiries, was  subsequently  confirmed  by  my  knowl- 
edge of  particular  cases."  , 

A  correspondent  of  the  Detroit  Free  PresS'  in  a 
late  letter  to  that  journal,  says : — "  The  yield  of 
the  smaller  wells  in  operation  might  be  greatly 
augmented  if  the  engines  on  the  ground  possessed 
more  caoacity.  The  owners  are,  however,  taking 
steps  to  supply  this  deficiency  by  importing  the  re- 
quisite steam  power,  isome  of  the  expected  ma- 
chinery has  already  arrived,  for  I  sav*r  four  engines 
at  Wyoming  Station,  waiting  transportation  to  the 
springs,  and  they  tell  mo  more  are  on  the  way. 

As  now  wells  are  constantly  being  discovered 
(two  had  been  found  last  week,  with  good  yields) 
the  number  of  oil  speculators  in  this  locality  is  very 
large,  and  increases  constantly  by  every  train  that 


\i 


THE  OIL  DISTRICTS  OP  CANADA. 


17 


\i 


arrives.  Land  is  selling  rapidly  and  fiads  ready 
purchasers  among  speculators,  who,  strange  to  say, 
are  all  Americans.  Most  of  the  land  in  the  town- 
ship has  already  been  taken  up,  and  of  what  is 
left  none  can  be  bought  for  less  than  fifty  dollars 
per  acre,  while  some  ranges  as  high  as  five  thou- 
sand." 

Until  within  the  past  year  there  has  been  no 
proper,  vigorous,  or  systematic  development  in 
Canada.  It  was  not  until  American  capital  and 
enterprise  were  introduced,  tliat  the  rude  applian- 
ces originally  used  for  boring  gave  place  to  sub- 
stantial derricks  and  serviceable  machinery.  Tho 
Wyomir  g  Rock  Oil  Company,  of  New  York,  was 
tlie  pioneer  in  the  path  of  systematic  development, 
and  through  its  example  and  influence  a  new  era 
of  prosperity  has  dawned  upon  the  oil  districts  of 
Canada.  This  company,  managed  by  gentlemen  of 
large  wealth  and  high  commercial  standing  is 
pushing  forward  its  work  with  energy  and  business 
system,  thus  furnishing  an  example  worthy  of  imi- 
tation bv  all  who  are  interested  in  Canadian  oil  de- 
vclopnient.  They  own  a  large  and  valuable  tract 
of  oil  territory  including  the  celebrated  Gum  lieds 
and  have  now,  in  all,  over  sixty  wells,  beside 
others  going  down. 

The  Oil  Springs  Chronicle  says  : — "  Since  our 
last  report  there  have  been  as  many  as  six  good 
wells  obtained.  ^Ir.  Beckwith  has  struck  a  splen- 
did show  of  oil  at  350  feet.  ^Mr.  Merchant,  at  a 
dei»th  of  400  feet,  has  found  a  new  kind  of  oil  from 


18 


THE  OIL  DISTRICTS  OP  CANADA. 


what  has  hith*  rto  been  found.  It  is  much  lighter 
and  more  limpid  thun  any  yet  obtained.  But  the 
best  thing  that  ha;3  yet  been  discovered  since  the 
flowing  wells,  is  what  is  now  called  the  Campbell 
Well.  It  was  struck  on  Thursday  last,  and  gave 
very  good  indications  of  being  a  flowing  well.  A 
pump  was  at  once  put  in,  and  in  about  six  licurs 
fifty  barrels  of  good  oil  was  secured.  This  has 
created  considerable  excitement,  and  the  fortunate 
owners  are  receiving  the  congratulations  of  all  who 
rejoice  in  the  prosperity  of  their  neighbors.  Still 
there  is  reward  for  labor." 

Two  n')w  wells,  in  lot  19,  in  the  Second  Con- 
cession, are  just  reported  ;  one,  said  to  have  pump- 
ed, with  a  span  of  horses,  at  the  rate  of  two  hL-nd- 
red  barrels  a  day,  and  another,  (which  is  180  feet 
in  the  rock)  two  hundred  and  fifty  barrels,  with  a 
small  engine,  but  both  are,  no  doubt  over-estimates. 

A  joint  Stock  Company  was  recently  formed,  for 
the  purpose  of  sinking  a  test  well,  in  order  to 
ascertain  the  oil-producing  merits  of  the  lower 
strata. 

This  well  is  now  down  over  950  feet,  and  so  soon 
as  a  depth  of  1000  feet  is  .attained,  its  pro'iucing 
powers  will  be  tested.  It  is,  however,  unjust  to  re- 
gard this  as  the  "  test  well  *'  of  the  district,  when 
it  actually  tests  only  the  particular  spot  on  which 
it  is  sunk. 

It  is  impossible  to  ascertain  the  value  of  any 
tr.^.ct  of  land  at  a  single  boring.  For  instance,  a 
well  was  sunk  to  a  fair  depth,  with  a  two  inch  boro 


«> 


I. 


THE  OIL  DISTRICTS  OF  CANADA. 


19 


n 


in  the  rc^k,  and  only  a  small  supply  of  oil  was 
found.  The  owners  not  being  satisfied  bored  it 
over  again  witli  a  three  inch  drill,  thereby  enlarg- 
ing the  hole  only  half  an  inch  on  each  side,  and 
struck  a  large  vein  of  oil,  which  the  two-inch  boring 
had  fuled  to  tap.  So,  in  sinking  this  well — they 
may  barely  miss  one  of  these  large  veins,  and  they 
may  not ;  but  under  any  circumstances  it  in  itself 
is  no  criterion  of  the  resources  of  the  district. 

During  the  progress  of  the  work,  two  large 
flows  of  oil  have  been  struck,  wliich,  of  themselves 
will  give  a  large  yield. 

"  The  average  cost  of  sinking  a  well,  including 
both  the  fcurface  and  the  bore,  may  be  nearly  esti- 
mated at  §2  pn'  foot.  That  is,  if  all  goes  on  pros- 
perously without  break  or  other  hindrance.  The 
price  of  the  engine  and  the  machinery  for  pumping, 
tanks,  &c.,  is  not  included  in  this  estinifie. 

In  one  of  the  lowest  contracts  taken  here,  it  was 
agreed  to  sink  a  surface  well  to  the  rock,  to  crib 
it,  and  to  bore  a  four  and  one-half  inch  hole  in  the 
rock,  to  a  depth  of  1 00  feet,  for  $300.  It  is  the 
opinion  of  most  that  the  contractors  will  not  come 
out  winners. 

An  eight-horse  portable  steam  engine  can  be  pur- 
chased for  §550  ;  a  twelve-horse  for  $840  or  $850. 

The  trees  at  the  Oil  Springs  are  all  of  hardwood. 
There  is  no  pine  to  be  found.  Fuel  costs  nothing 
beyond  the  price  of  cutting  it,  but  pi  e  is  expen- 
sive. Common  lumber  is  worth  at  the  Springs  $14 
a  thousand.    The  best  kind,  used  for  making  tanks 


20 


THE  OIL  DISTRICTS  OF  CANADA. 


and  barrels,  is  worth  $24.  When  the  roads  got 
better,  and  owing  to  the  recent  high  winds  and  the 
hot  sun  they  are  rapidly  getting  better,  the  rates 
will  come  down. 

First-class  barrels  are  worth  $2.  Som9  may  bo 
bought  for  §1  50,  but  tkey  are  not  considered  re- 
liable. 

An  active  laboring  man  is  worth  51  a  day.— 
Carpenters  get  $1  50. 

It  may  be  expected  that  some  of  the  original 
land-holders  here  have  made  money.  This  is  not 
the  case.  When  oil  was  first  discovered,  land  was 
bought  up  for  an  "  old  song.''  Property  now 
worth  $1000  an  acre,  was  bought  for  $5  or  §6. — 
About  the  year  1860,  or  a  little  earlier,  200  acres, 
a  portion  of  it  cleared,  in  what  is  now  one  of  the 
richest  parts  of  Oil  Springs,  was  offered  for  a  team 
of  horses  and  was  refused." 

One  of  the  greatest,  and  most  undoubted,  superi- 
orities of  Ennisl:  Hen,  is  the  fact  of  its  being  so 
much  more  prolific  in  oil  than  Pennsylvania,  or  any 
other  of  the  American  districts.  Of  this  fact  we 
have  the  most  abundant  proofs.  No  one  who  has 
visited  Venango  county,  can  have  failed  to  notice, 
the  many  barren  wells,  each  one  representing  a 
considerable  amount  of  invested  capital,  which  must 
be  placed  to  the  debit  of  profit  and  loss. 

In  Pennsylvania,  only  certain  localities,  contig- 
uous to  the  creeks  and  blufTs,  are  considered  as  oil- 
productive  ;  only  four  wells  in  every  ten,  produce 
oil  at  all,  and  not  one  out  of  twenty  pay  the  work- 


^4 


■W 


THE  OIL  DISTRICTS  OP  CANADA. 


21 


^4 


•W 


ing  expenses.  The  largest  producing  well  in  Penn- 
sylvania, notwithstanding  tlie  rabulous  reports  dnily 
in  circulation,  yields  only  four  hundred  and  firty 
barrels  per  day,  instead  of  sixteen  hundred,  as  is 
commonly  understood.  There  are  c:timated  to  bo 
more  wells  producing  less  than  four  barrels  per 
day,  than  there  arc  producing  over  that  quantity. 

In  Canada,  tho  land  is  nearly  a  uniform  level, 
and  experience  has  proved  that  the  rock  underlying 
the  whole  of  this  district,  is  thoroughly  impregnat- 
ed with  oil. 

A  correspondent  of  the  Toronto  Globe,  in  a  re- 
cent letter,  speaking  of  the  southern  part  of  Ennis- 
killcn,  says : — "  The  fact  has,  however,  been  estab- 
lished, that  within  these  limits  it  is  almost  impossi- 
ble to  bore  a  deep  hole  without  finding  oil. 

Professor  S.  S.  Cutting,  whom  we  have  previous- 
ly quoted,  alludes  to  this  subject,  as  follows  : — 

"  The  larger  number  of  wells  in  the  district  are 
near  the  creek;  but  the  valuable  wells  scattered 
here  and  there  on  the  level,  with  no  manifest  signs 
of  preference  of  one  spot  over  another,  demonstrate 
that  thu  district  is  saturated  with  oil,  and  that  it 
is  likely  to  be  found,  seek  it  where  you  will.  At 
the  back  door  of  the  hotel  at  which  I  stopped,  they 
undertook  to  dig  a  well  for  water,  and  to  tlieir 
great  consternation  it  yielded  oil.  Indeed,  wells 
of  water  are  quite  useless  to  those  who  have  no 
relish  for  the  taste  and  smell  of  Petroleum.  The 
success  of  the  oil  wells  over  the  whole  surface  liitli- 
erto  ^cstod,  and  thl:  general  character  of  tho  earth's 


22 


THE  OIL  DISTRICTS  OF  CANADA. 


surface,  demonstrate  that  for  a  long  time  al  least, 
the  yield  of  oil  must  bo  unfailing." 

Another  correspondent,  in  writing  very  lately, 
from  Oil  Springs,  says; — "Even  the  hotel-keeper 
of  the  *'  Excliange"  is  obliged  to  mix  his  tea  and 
coffeo;  his  gin  and  molasses,  with  filtered  rain  water 
in  default  of  anything  better.  He  dug  a  hole  ia 
his  yard,  hoping  foolish  man,  to  get  the  "  aqua 
pura,"  but  found  oil  instead.  Whenever  he  gets 
short  of  money  he  has  only  to  pull  the  lid  from  off 
his  well,  dip  down  his  bucket,  draw  forth  his  oil, 
pay  what,  he  owes  and  keep  the  rest." 

The  celebrated  Sanborn  property  ;  which  has 
always  been  regarded  as  immensely  valuable,  is  now 
in  possession  of  the  Enniskilleu  Petroleum  and 
Refining  Company,  of  New  York,  which  ranks 
among  the  more  prominent  of  the  Canadian  organ- 
izations. It  is  composed  of  146  acres  of  lot  18,  in 
the  Second  Concession,  and  18  acres  of  lot  16,  in 
the  Third  Concession,  upon  which  are  over  forty 
wells  of  all  sizes,  which  yield  when  pumped.  This 
Company  also  own  lot  18,  in  the  Eighth  Concess- 
ion— 200  acres,  which  has  not  yet  been  bored,  and 
a  first  class  refinery  with  the  appurtenances,  on  lot 
18,  in  the  Second  Concession.     The  famons  ITrad- 

ley  well,  which,  till  lately,  has  not  been  used  tiince 
it  stopped  flowing  in  1862,  is  also  in  their  posses- 
sion ;  it  now  pumps  at  the  rate  of  about  thirty  bar- 
rels per  day. 
The  village  of  Petrolia,  on  Bear  Creek,  a  few 


THE  OIL  DISTRICTS  OP  CANADA. 


23 


^ 


1. 


miles  north  of  Oil  Springs,  is  the  centre  of  another 
batch  of  wells. 

A  correspondent  alludes  to  this  village,  as  fol- 
lows:— "I  yesterday  visited  Petrolia,  the  village 
lying  between  the  Oil  Springs  and  Wyoming,  about 
eleven  and  a  half  miles  to  the  north  of  the  former,  ' 
on  the  plank  road.  Petrolia  was  always  a  better 
looking  place  than  Oil  Springs,  cleaner,  and  pos- 
Bessing  some  of  the  elements  of  the  picturesque. — 
The  woods  in  the  immediate  neighborhood  are  less 
tangled,  there  is  but  little  swamp,  and  the  land  is 
rolling.  A  good  many  acres  round  about  are  under 
cultivation,  comfortable  looking  farm  houses  stock 
the  landscape,  and  being  nearer  the  Great  Western 
Railway  than  Oil  Springs,  it  has  always  possessed 
greater  facilities  for  transportation  to  Wyoming. 
Petrolia  suffered  like  its  rival  from  the  effects  of 
flowing  wells  and  the  low  price  of  oil.  Most  of 
the  wells  have  been  abandoned  for  two  years,  and 
the  refinery  has  been  shut  off.  The  people,  how- 
ever, have  now  awakened,  all  is  activity,  and  the 
coming  summer  will  see  a  very  large  business  done 
at  the  village." 

The  principal  company  engaged  in  developing 
this  locality  is  the  Crescent  Petroleum  Association 
of  New  York. 

Oil  has  been  fomid  in  almost  all  quarters  of  En- 
niskillen,  and  in  the  neighboring  Townships  of 
Dawn,  Brooke,  Moore,  Sombra,  and  Plympton; 
while  the  village  of  Bothwell,  in  Zone,  to  the  south 


24 


THE  OIL  DISTRICTS  OP  CANADA. 


cast  of  Oil  Springs,  is  the  Centre  of  another  lot  of 
•vvcll^,  last  comirii^  into  favor. 

Tlic  Toronto  Globe,  in  a  lengthy  editorial,  in 
speaking'  of  tlic  listlessness  with  whieh  many  of  the 
Canadian  people  have,  thus  far,  regarded  the  de- 
velopment ©f  what  is  proving  to  be,  an  immense 
source  jf  wealth,  says  : — "  They  have  seen  gigant- 
ic stock  companies  started,,  whose  shares  have  been 
sought  with  avidity  in  the  American  markets. — 
Tiiese  companies  have  large  capital,  very  many 
wells  are  being  sunk,  many  more  will  be  commenc- 
ed as. soon  as  the  machinery  necessary  can  be  pro- 
cured, and  the  work  is  being  pushed  ©n  with  vigor 
and  energy.  The  success  that  has  already  been 
mot  with,  the  paying  wells  already  in  operation,  the 
indications  of  oil  invariably  opened,  almost  eliminate 
d  )ubt  from  the  calculation. 

There  are  now  engaged  in  development,  at  least 
t\Fenty-five  companies.  In  addition  to  those  alrea- 
dy named,  we  may  mention  the  following : 

The  Dawn  Petroleum  Company,  New  York. 

The  St.  Clair  Petroleum  Company,  Philadelphia. 

The  Canada  Rock  Oil  Company,  Montreal, 

The  Little  Falls  Oil  Company. 

The  Black  Creek  Oil  Company. 

The  Great  Western  Consolidated  Company. 

The  Victoria  Pcti'oieum  Company. 

The  Albion  Petroleum  Company,  Newark,  N.  J. 

The  Lancaster  Oil  Company,  Erie,  Pa. 

The  Campbell  Rock  Oil  Company,  Michigan. 

The  LLurou  Oil  Company. 


i 


r 

0 


THE  OIL  DISTRICTS  OP  CANADA. 


25 


The  Wyominpj  Petroleum  Company. 

Tlie  Hartford  Oil  Company. 

The  Petroleum  Mining-  Company. 

The  International  Oil  Company. 

The  German  (Bothwell)  Company. 

The  Lima  Company. 

The  Thames  Petroleum  Company,  Montreal. 

Tlie  New  York  and  Bothwell  Oil  Company. 

The  International  Petroleum  Company, Wisconsin. 

The  Kent  Oil  Company,  New  Bedford,  Mass. 

The  International  Petroleum  Company,  Michigan. 

Although  the  flowing  wells  of  1862  have  either 
stopped  (lowing,  or  entirely  ceased  to  yield,  (which 
by  many  is  attributed  to  the  fact  that  they  were 
not  properly  managed  when  oil  was  first  struck) 
there  has  been  no  perceptible  diminution  in  the 
supply  of  the  pumping  wells.  On  the  contrary  in 
more  than  one  instance,  such  wells  are  known  to 
have  gradually  increased  their  supply.  Some  of 
these  pumping  wells  have  been  in  constant  use  sinco 
they  were  first  sunk,  and  others  have  lain  idle  from 
the  slackness  of  the  market,  but  all  are  now  in  ac- 
tive operation.  In  both  instances  the  supply  has 
held  good. 

This  is  another  and  not  unimportant  point,  in 
which  Canada  has  the  advantage  of  Pennsylvania, 
and  one  which  augurs  well  for  the  future. 

One  gentleman  in  advancing  a  th:!0<'y  whereby  to 
account  for  the  sudden  stoppage  of  the  flowing 
wells  and  the  appearance  of  water  instead,  writes: 
«'  There  were  altogether  upwards  of  twenty  of  thcso 


20 


THE  OIL  DISTRICTS  OP  CANADA. 


well3.  TIiG  greater  part  were  sunk  to  a  depth  of 
about  150  feet  in  the  rock;  the  remainder  to  a 
depth  of  about  110  feet.  Say  £0  of  the  wells  at 
the  150  feet  flowed  continuously  from  July,  18fj2, 
to  the  beginning  of  February,  1863.  Then  they 
stopped,  and  salt  water  made  its  appearance.  The 
firtit  to  perpetrate  this  sorry  joke  was  the  one  farth- 
est east,  which  we  will  call  No.  1.  The  rest  follow- 
ed in  rotation.  But  the  remainder  of  the  wells — 
those  at  the  average  depth  of  110  feet — continued' 
to  flow  for  fully  six  weeks  longer.  The  theory  is 
this — that  somebody  sunk  to  the  east  of  No.  1  a- 
well,  and  in  doing  so  tapped  a  vein  of  water  which 
had  previously  been  blocked  up ;  and  by  means  of 
the  bore,  brought  it  into  communication  with  the 
oil  veins.  The  greater  weight  of  the  water — and, 
aside  from  its  weight,  perhaps  its  greater  pressure 
— kept  back  the  oil.  The  flowing  wells,  at  the  av- 
erage depth  of  150  feet,  failing  successfully  as  the 
water  forced  its  way  westward,  and  those  on  the 
higher  level  shared  the  same  fate  a  few  weeks  fur- 
ther on.  If  this  idea  be  correct,  it  results  that  the 
oil  reservoir  has  not  been  exhausted.  In  connec- 
tion with  this  fact  may  be  mentioned  this  other, 
that  flowing  wells  from  which  only  a  few  barrels 
had  been  taken  failed  equally  with  those  which 
were  allowed  to  discharge  hniulreds  of  thousands 
or  galloiiG  into  the  creek.  The  tiicory  may  be  cor- 
rect or  not;  the  remedy  is  still  wanting." 


THE  OIL  DISTRICTS  OP  CANADA. 


27 


CANADA  COMPARED  WITH  PENNSYLVANIA, 

The  relative  gravity  of  the  oils  is — 

Pennsylvania 42°  to  45^ 

Canada 32^  to  38° 

The  estimated  per  centage  of  relined  from  crudo 

is — 

Pennsylvania 48  per  cent. 

Canada 80      '« 

The  New  York  TimeSi  in  speaking  of  Caspian  C. 
Sparks*  experience  in  Pennsylvania  and  West  Vir- 
gina,  quoting  from  Prof.  Cutting's  report,  says: 

"  He  regards  Canada  as  superior  to  either,  and 
as  superior  to  Pennsylvania  for  these  reasons*: 
First,  the  product  is  more  certain.  In  Pennsylva- 
nia he  estimates  four  out  ©f  ten  wells  to  be  success- 
ful ;  in  Canada,  eight  out  of  ten.  Second,  in 
Pennsylvania  the  wells  are  required  to  be  of  nearly 
or  quite  double  the  depth,  or  six  hundred  feet, 
while  in  Canada  the  deepest  are  but  three  hundred. 
In  addition  to  this  he  regards  the  Canada  oil  as  of 
a  superior  quality— ^for  illuminating  purposes  tho 
same  quantity  lasting  twice  as  long.  Fuel  in 
Pennsylvania  is  costly,  in  Canada  costs  the  cutting. 
In  Pennsylvania  labor  is  scarce  and  expensive,  in 
Canada  abundant  and  cheap.  Access  to  the  New 
York  market,  where  petroleum  may  be  sold  in  bond, 
without  duty,  is  less  costly  than  from  Pennsylvania." 

In  addition  to  the  very  great  advantages  enume- 
rated in  this  extract,  we  may  add  that  much  of  the 
rock  through  which  tho  drill  passes  is  of  a  soft  and 


28 


THE  OIL  DISTRICTS  OP  CANADA. 


sliale  like  nature,  and  consequently  much  less  diffi- 
cult to  bore.  The  writer  has  frequently  seen  this 
shale  so  soft  and  so  saturated  with  oilj  that  globules 
of  the  oil  could  be  extracted  simply  by  its  pressure 
between  the  finger  and  thumb. 

Ther3  is  no  tax  or  duty  whatever  on  Canada  oil, 
while  in  the  United  States  the  Government  tax  on 
crude  is  one  dollar  per  barrel,  and  on  refined, 
twenty  cents  per  gallon. 

Canada  oil,  which  at  first  seemed  to  cling  so 
tenaciously  to  its  disagreeable  smell,  is  now  proved 
to  be  easily  deodorized. 

Prof.  •  Cutting,  in  speaking  of  it,  says :  "  This 
rock  oil  is  less  dense  and  less  offensive,  but  of  such 
density  as  to  make  it  of  special  value,  and  capable 
of  easy  deodorization." 

A.  Norman  Tate,  IT.  C.  S.,  a  noted  English 
chemist,  says :  "  1  am  engaged  at  the  present  time 
in  investigating  a  process  by  which  the  worst  speci- 
mens of  Canadian  oil  may  be  deodorized,  at  a  cost 
not  exceeding  one  penny  per  gallon,  and  it  is  pro- 
bable that,  by  a  little  alteration,  this  may  be  re- 
duced to  less  than  one  fartliing  per  gallon." 

The  following  is  an  analysis  of  Canadian  Petro- 
leum by  Dr.  Sheridan  Muspratt.  One  hundred 
parts  of  Enniskillen  oil  yielded  in  distillation : 

Light  colored  Naptlia,  sp.  gr.  0  794 20 

Heavy  yellow  Naptha,  sp.  gr.  0.8 J7 60 

Lubricating  Oil,  rich  ia  paratliii 21 

Tar 5 

Charcoal 1 

Loss 2 

lUO 


i 

4 


I 


THE  OIL  DISTRICTS  OP  CANADA. 


'2\f 


.20 
,60 
.22 
.  5 
1 
2 


^ 


A  FEW  FACTS  ABOUT  PETROLEUM. 

Petroleum  is  known  to  have  been  in  use  for  va- 
rious purposes  at  least  four  thousand  years  ago. 

The  earliest  evidence  of  its  existence  is  found 
among  the  ruins  of  Ninevah,  in  the  building  of 
which  city  an  asphaltic  mortar  was  employed — the 
asphalte  being  obtained  by  the  evaporation  of  Pe- 
troleum. The  springs  of  Is,  about  one  hundred 
and  twenty  miles  above  Babylon,  attracted  the 
attention  of  Alexander,  of  Trajan,  and  of  Julian ; 
they  are  in  existence  at  the  present  time,  and  the 
Petroleum  procured  from  them  is  largely  used  for 
illuminating  purposes. 

A  substance  obtained  from  Petroleum  was  used 
by  the  Egyptians  in  embalming  their  dead. 

In  one  of  the  Ionian  Islands  there  is  a  spring 
which  has  yielded  ^etroleum  ft)r  more  than  two 
tliousand  years.  Herodotus  speaks  of  the  wells  of 
Zacynthus — the  modern  Zante ;  and  Plutarch  do- 
scribes  a  seu  on  fire,  or  lake  of  burning  Petroleum, 
near  Ecbatuna. 

The  perpetual  fires  that  burnt  at  pagan  shrines 
are  supposed  to  have  been  caused  by  springs  of 
mineral  oil  inflamed  at  the  surface. 

Pliny  and  Dioscorides  mention  the  Petroleum  of 
Agrigentum,  in  Sicily,  which  was  used  in  lamps, 
under  the  name  of  <•  Sicilian  Oil." 

The  springs  Rakou,  in  Persia,  in  the  vicinity  of 
the  Caspian  Sea,  are  widely  celebrated,  and  havo 
yielded  immense  quantities  of  oil. 


30 


THE  OIL  DISTRICTS  OF  CANADA. 


Tho  Petroleum  springs  of  Rangoon,  on  tlie  banlvS 
of  the  Irawaddi,  in  the  Biirman  Empire,  are  said  to 
have  been  known  and  worked  for  ages,  and  are  at  tlio 
present  time  some  of  the  most  powerful  and  copious 
springs  yet  discovered. 

There  is  a  lake  of  bitumen  at  the  head  of  La 
Brae  harbor,  in  the  Island  of  Trinidad,  which  is 
three  miles  in  circumference. 

It  is  said  that  wood  steeped  in  Petroleum  is 
proof  against  decay  for  many  years. 

The  French  Government  appointed  a  committee 
to  examine  the  capabilities  of  Petroleum  for  tho 
generation  of  steam;  and  it  has  been  proved  that 
in  seventeen  minutes  4.25  lbs.  of  Petroleum  will 
raise  steam  to  a  given  pressure  that  it  requires  9.35 
lbs.  of  tho  best  coal  to  effect  in  thirty  minutes. 

Gas  manufactured  from  Petroleum  gives  a  liglit 
variously  estimated  at  from  four  to  six  times  more 
luminous  than  coal  gas.  The  Stephenson  House,  at 
St.  Catharines,  0.  W.,  has  long  been  lit  with  Petro- 
leum gas,  made  under  what  is  known  as  Thompson's 
Patent.  There  are  one  hundred  and  eighty  burn- 
ers, and  the  average  cost  per  night  was,  in  18G2, 
only  eighty-six  cents. 

THE  GUM  BEDS. 

The  Gum  Beds  are  situated  on  lots  sixteen  and 
eighteen,  in  the  first  and  second  concessions  of  En- 
niskillen.  They  cover  several  acres,  and  are  com- 
posed of  a  hard,  black  bitumen,  which  is  no  otiicr 
than  Petroleum  which,  in  time  past,  has  found  it3 


THE  OIL  DISTRICTS  OF  CANADA. 


31 


is 


i 


I 


way  to  tie  surface,  and,  through  tho  action  of  tho 
air,  and  consoquotit  evaporation  of  the  Naptha,  has 
become  solidilicd.  Similar  indications  are  to  bo 
observed  in  several  places  throughout  the  town- 
ship, especially  to  the  east  of  Oil  Springs. 

We  are  told  that  this  bitumen  is  also  found  in 
India,  in  France,  and  in  the  sand  rock  of  Albania. 
In  the  BIrmese  Empire  there  is  a  mountain,  where 
several  hundred  pits  have  been  sunk  for  the  pur- 
pose of  collecting  Petroleum,  which  has  long  been 
used  as  an  illuininatinG:  aQ:erit. 

The  liquid  Petroleum  has  bceu  found  in  China, 
Carpathian  Ilills,  Neufchatcl,  Persia,  Dalraatia, 
tho  Hartz,  and  on  the  shores  of  the  Caspian  Sea, 
where  it  oozes  throuorh  the  soil*  ia  the  form  of  a 
vapor  gas.  and  is  led  tlirough  earthen  pipes  for 
illuminating  the  neighboring  towns  and  cities.  Tho 
existence  of  Petroleum  in  the  Dead  Sea  has  been 
known  from  time  immemorial.  The  bituminous 
matter  is  found  in  the  centre  of  the  sea  in  a  liquid 
state;  but  upon  the  banks  it  is  in  hard,  compact 
masses,  which  probably  have  been  formed  by  tho 
evaporation  of  the  liquid. 

A  light  oil  is  found  in  a  spring  near  Amiana,  in 
Parma,  and  is  used  for  illuminating  the  city  of 
Genoa. 

The  bitumen  in  the  Gum  Beds  of  Enniskillen,  as 
has  been  previously  mentioned,  first  attracted  at- 
tention as  being  capable  of  being  reduced  to  an  il- 
luminating oil.  It  was  in  carrying  out  this  idea, 
that  the  great  deposits  of  liquid  Petroleum  were 


\ 


^ 


32 


THE  OIL  DISTRICTS  OF  CANADA. 


first  made  known.  When  the  sun  plays  upon  tlie 
Gum  beds,  the  bitumen  melts,  and  is  collected  in 
large  holes  or  pits,  previously  prepared  to  receive 
it. 

It  was  in  the  vicinity  of  these  Gum  beds  that  the 
first  wells  were  sunk,  owing  to  the  then  prevailing 
idea,  that  oil  was  more  likelyto  be  found  there  than 
in  other  places.  This  notion  has  since  been  clearly 
disproved,  as  some  of  the  best  wells  are  in  spots, 
showing,  previous  to  their  existence,  no  extraordi- 
nary indications  of  oil.  From  one  of  these  beds, 
the  entire  carcass  of  a  deer  has  lately  been  exhum« 
ed.  The  medicinal  properties  of  this  oil  are  said  to 
be  very  great. 

"  Petroleum  of  various  shades,  from  the  green  of 
the  Barbadoes  springs  to  the  pale  yellow  of  Amia- 
na,  has  been  long  known  to  possess  certain  medici- 
nal properties.  The  rock  oil  of  Barbadoes,  or  as 
it  has  been  vulgarly  but  improperly  called,  Barba- 
does-tar,  has  been  found  a  useful  stimulant  to  tor- 
pid bowels,  promoting  in  such  a  temperament  the 
alvine  discharge.  The  Petroleum  found  at  Gabian, 
near  Beziers,  in  France,  has  been  called  Olean  Ga- 
bianum.  It  has  been  given  as  an  excitant  expecto- 
rant ;  and  mixed  with  tincture  assafoetida,  in  tape- 
worm. 

The  chief  medicinal  value  of  Petroleum,  however, 
is  as  an  external  remedy  in  a  variety  of  cutaneous 
affections 

The  bitumen  used  by  the  ancient  Babylonians  to 
cement  the  sun-dried  bricks,  of  which  their  colossal- 


^ 


T.nE  OIL  DISTRICTS  OP  CANADA. 


33 


structures  are  mostly  composed,  is  admitted  by  tho 
ablest  antiquarians,  to  be  Petroleum,  chiefly  obtain- 
ed from  the  fountains  of  Is,  the  modern  Hit,  on  tho 
right  bank  of  the  Euphrates,  which  flow  copiously 
to  this  day. 

BOTHWELL. 

This  village  is  in  the  Township  of  Zone,  in  tho 
County  of  Lambton,  and  on  the  Detroit  branch  of 
the  Great  Western  Railway.  About  four  years 
ago,  when  oil  was  first  discovered  o-n  Black  Creek, 
it  was  also  found  it  exist  on  the  bank  of  thj 
Thames,  a  little  south  of  Bothwell.  Parties  with- 
out capital  set  to  work  to  develope  the  territory, 
but  little  was  demonstrated,  beyond  the  fact  that 
large  quantities  of  oil  existed.  Owing  to  the  very 
low  price,  and  exceedingly  limited  demand  for  the 
oil,  operations  were  almost  entirely  suspended,  until 
the  development  of  the  Ennibkillen  district,  and 
with  it  the  surrounding  country,  of  which  Bothwell 
forms  a  part,  fell  into  the  hands  tf  wealthy  and  en- 
terprising Americans. 

Within  the  past  few  months,  many  good  wells 
have  been  found,  and  several  companies  are  engag- 
ed in  sinking  more,  with  good  prospects  of  large 
yields. 

«*The  mode  of  sinking  for  oil  here  is  somewhat 
different  from  that  practised  in  Enniskillen.  There 
the  distance  from  the  surface  to  tho  rock  is  seldom 
as  much  as  80  feet.  Here,  out  of  about  twelve 
wells,  the  smallest  depth  is  106  feet,  the  greatest 


3i 


THE  OIL  DISTRICTS  OP  CANADA. 


180  icct.  At  first,  attempts  wore  made  to  get  to 
the  rock  in  tlie  regular  metliofl,  but  this  was  found 
to  be  impossible.  Tiie  depth  required,  together 
with  the  quicksands,  rendered  it  impracticable.  A 
very  great  deal  of  money  was  spent  in  vain  attempts 
at  "cribbing"  ere  the  effort  was  given  up.  A  very 
successful  method  has  been  adopted  in  its  place. — 
A  large  hole  is  first  bored  in  the  ground  to  a  dis- 
tance of  a  few  feet,  say  12  or  15,  and  10  inches  in 
diameter.  Into  it  an  iron  pipe,  like  a  heavy  stove- 
pipe, is  forced.  The  bore  is  then  proceed' d  with, 
but  at  a  reduced  diameter,  equal  to  that  of  the  in- 
terior of  the  pipe.  When  a  depth  of  a  few  more 
feet  has  been  attained,  a  smaller  pipe  is  slipped 
down  the  interior  of  the  first  pipe  into  the  hole, 
and  so  on  until  the  rock  is  reached.  By  the  time 
that  is  done,  the  diameter  of  the  bore  will  have  de- 
creased to  an  average  of  five  and  one-half  inches. 
Wooden  piping  is  frequently  used  instead  of  iron. 
The  surface  bore  is  put  down  by  hand  power,  and 
very  rough  machinery,  involving  a  great  waste  of 
labor,  is  used. 

The  vicinity  of  Bothwell  wears  a  lively  and 
business  like  appearance,  and,  in  addition  to  the 
many  wells  already  being  sunk,  the  commencement 
of  several  more  is  deferred  only  till  the  arrival  of 
the  necessary  machinery,  which  is  on  the  way.  One 
well,  owned  by  a  J\Ir.  Lick,  averages  a  yield  of 
fifty  barrels  per  day. 

Although  there  are  many  good  wells  here,  the 
land  has  never  been  in  as  great  favor  as  Euniskil- 


i 


THE  OIL  DISTEICTS  OP  CANADA.  85 

iCTi,  for  while  tliere  it  would  be  difTicult  to  pnrclinso 
on  Black  Creek  for  less  tliun  $750  per  acre,  hero 
the  highest  price  paid  was  $200,  and  that  for  the 
most  desirable  lots. 

A.  Scotch  company  have  already  six  wellsr— two 
yielding  and  four  under  way — and  intend  to  start 
six  more  immediately.  These  wells  will  be  sunk 
to  the  north  of  the  Longwood  road.  They  are 
waiting  only  for  the  machinery. 

The  following  is  a  copy  of  the  log  of  one  of  their 

wells : 

Clay  loam 16  feet. 

Blue  clay 20    « 

Gravel  and  boulders 4    " 

i\  ard  pan 15    " 

Water  gravel 2    " 

Dry  sand 34    « 

Water  gravel 18    " 

Clay 40    « 

Limestone  rock 2    " 

Water  gravel 9    " 

Limestone 6    " 

Soapstone 23    ««• 

Limestone 8    " 

Soapstone 2    " 

Limestone .91    " 

After  this,  to  the  depth  of  425  feet,  limestone 
mixed  with  sand  was  met  with. 

One  of  the  principal  organizations  engaged  in 
developing  this  district  is  the  Petroleum  Land 
Company  of  New  York,  who  are  doing  much  to 
unearth  the  hidden  treasures.  They  have  leased 
the  following  lauds : 


36 


THE  OIL  DISTRICTS  OP  CANADA. 


14 

acres, 

lot  29 

60 

(( 

"  19 

C7 

cc 

«  18 

27 

(C 

«  10 

50 

(( 

cc    17 

45 

(( 

«  16 

70 

(C 

•«  18 

20 

« 

cc    17 

20 

it 

«  19 

100 

it 

«  20 

100 

cc 

«  24 

80 

cc 

cc   2^ 

100 

c: 

«  25 

100 

C( 

c.      1 

100 

cc 

«     2 

(C 

cc 
cc 
cc 
cc 
n 
cc 


Aldborougli. 
iVlosa. 


river  range,  Mosa. 

"  Zone. 

«  Zone. 

«  Zone. 

16th  con.  Orford. 

Si  cc 

cc 

15  th  con, 

cc 

14th  con. 

cc 
a 
(I 

1st  con. 
river  range, 

They  own,  in  fee,  1200  acres  in  Orford,  com- 
prising lots  13,  14,  15,  18,  19,  20,  21  and  22  in 
the  11th  concession;  lots  14  and  20  in  the  12th 
concession;  lot  24  in  tlie  13th  concession:  lot  19 
in  the  15th  concession;  lot  11  in  the  10th  conces- 
sion; lot  20  in  the  8th  concession ;  lot  7  in  the  7th 
concession  Zone,  and  2200  acres  besides,  chiefly  in 
Aldborough. 

A  large  number  of  wells  are  being  sunk  on  their 
property,  which  is  some  of  the  most  valuable  terri- 
tory in  this  locality. 

Such  a  spirit  of  enterprise  and  implicit  confi- 
dence is  everywhere  displayed,  that  ere  long,  South- 
western Canada  will,  no  doubt,  rank  among  the 
greatest  producing  Oil  districts  in  the  world. 

In  the  middle  of  the  river  Thames  there  is  a  jet 
of  oil  rising  through  the  stream,  which  breaks  upon 
the  surface,  and  as  the^oil  spreads  upon  the  clear 


^liiiiiiiii 


THE  OIL  DISTRICTS  OP  CANADA. 


37 


water,  it  presents,  when  illuminated  by  the  sun,  a 
Lcautii'ul  sight,  emitting  all  tkc  colors  of  the  rain- 
bow. 


01!  Regions  of  Canada :  Its  Geological  Features* 

DEDUCED   FROM  SIR  W.  E.  LOGANS'  REPORTS. 

[  We  copy  the  following  article  from  a  new  and 
very  elaborate  map  of  the  Oil  Districts  of  Canada, 
just  published  by  J.  Ellis,  Toronto,  C.  W.] 

CORNIPEROUS    FORMATION. 

The  name  Corniferous  formation  is,  by  the  New 
York  Geologists,  restricted  to  the  upper  division, 
which  has  in  that  state,  a  thickness  of  about  seven- 
ty feet,  and  with  the  additions  of  the  Local  Scho- 
harie grit,  makes  up  what  they  have  described  as 
the  Upper  Helderberg  Group. 

In  Western  Canada  we  find  that  many  of  the 
fossils  of  the  Corniferous  limestone  pass  up  from  tho 
Oriskany  sandstone  and  the  intermediate  Onanda- 
ga  limestone;  we,  therefore,  unite  the  two  lime- 
stones under  the  name  of  the  Corniferous  forma- 
tion. The  surface  occupied  by  this  formation  in 
Western  Canada  is,  probably,  between  6000  and 
7000  square  miles.  To  the  eastward,  this  forma- 
tion  is  bounded  by  the  out-crop  already  assigned 
to  the  underlying  strata,  the  limits  of  which,  in 
many  parts,  have  yet  been  but  imperfectly  traced. 
The  whole  of  the  Province  to  the  west  and  south  of 
this  line  belong  to  the  Corniferous  formation,  with 
the  exception  of  a  belt  of  higher  Devonian  rocks, 


•' 


38 


t::e  otl  districts  op  Canada. 


wliich  crosses  the  country  from  Lake  Huron  to  Lake 
Erie,  and  divides  tlie  region  into  two  eras.  Tlicse 
newer  strata  occupy  a  saddle-shaped  depression  on 
the  great  Cincinatti  Anticlinal,  which  runs  nearly 
east  and  west  through  the  peninsula,  while  tho 
course  of  this  depression  in  cynclinal  is  nearly  north 
and  south  from  Plympton,  on  .Lake  Huron,  to  (3x- 
ford,  on  Lake  Erie.  Tho  belt  of  higher  rocks  has 
a  breadth  of  only  about  twenty- five  miles  on  tho 
anticlinal,  between  tho  Thames  and  Sydenham 
rivers ;  but,  on  either  side,  it  spreads  to  the  north- 
east and  south-west  along  the  shores  of  the  two 
lakes. 

,  At  Port  Dover,  and  near  the  village  of  Jarvis^ 
the  Corniferous  limestone  formation  is  highly  bitu- 
minous. Petroleum  is  found  in  many  places,  filling 
the  pores  of  the  corals.  The  Petroleum  Springs^ 
which  rise  from  this  formation  in  Tilsonburgh,  pro- 
bably have  their  origin  in  such  bituminous  beds,  and 
other  springs  of  the  same  character,  which  issue  in 
Enniskillen,  from  strata  above.  The  Corniferous, 
very  probably,  ascend,  through  these  newer  rocks^ 
from  the  same  formation.  Some  of  these  springs 
seem  to  be  on  a  line  with  the  anticlinal,  which  runs 
through  tho  western  Peninsula.  The  oil  being 
lighter  than  water,  and  permeating  within  the  strata, 
naturally  rises  to  the  highest  part,  which  is  the 
croivn  of  the  anticlinal.  It  will  be  observed  tliat 
the  positions  of  these  anticlinal  forms  in  Western 
Canada  thus  become  a  matter  of  economic  import- 
ance.   The  general  course  of  tho  main  anticlinal 


M 


THE  OIL  DISTlilCTS  OP  CANADA. 


3y 


can  be  readily  traced  by  means  of  the  distribution 
of  the  formations. 

It  would  appear  that  the  crown  of  the  arch  runs 
in  a  gentle  curve  from  the  western  extremity  of 
Lake  Ontario,  by  Woodstock,  in  the  neighborhood 
of  which  the  base  of  the  Corniferous  formation  folds 
over  it.  Proceeding  thence  by  the  Thames,  in  the 
general  bearing  of  the  Great  Western  Railway,  it 
would  reach  the  town  of  Chatham,  and  then  pass 
to  Pigeon  Bay,  on  Lake  Erie.  The  Springs  of  En- 
niskillen  would  appear  to  be  north  of  this  axis,  and 
they  may,  probably,  be  on  a  subordinate  one  paral- 
lel with  it, 

HAMILTON    FORMATION. 

In  the  western  part  of  Canada  we  have  been  un- 
able to  distinguished  either  the  Marcellus  shales  or 
the  Tully  limestone  from  the  Hamilton  Group ;  and 
we  shall,  therefore,  in  describing  the  rocks  of  that 
region,  include,  under  the  name  of  the  Hamilton 
formation,  all  the  strata  between  the  Corniferous 
limestones  and  the  Genessee  shales.  This  forma- 
tion occupies  the  lowest  portion  of  the  saddle  shap- 
ed depression  before  noticed  as  crossing  the  Penin- 
sula from  Lake  Erie  to  Lake  Huron,  and  separating 
the  Corniferous  formature  into  two  eras.  The 
space  thus  occupied  is  very  much  covered  with 
drift,  and  the  contact  between  the  Corniferous  and 
Hamilton  formations  has  not  yet  been  seen,  so  that 
it  is  not  easy  to  assign  their  precise  stratigraphical 
place  to  the  exposures  which  are  met  with.  The 
Oil  Springs  of  Enniskillen,  which   are  supposed  to 


40 


THE  OIL  DISTRICTS  OF  CANADA. 


have  tlicir  source  in  the  Cornifcrous  limestone?,  rise 
through  the  Hamilton  formation.  The  whole  vol- 
ume of  this  formation  attains  a  thickness  of  about 
300  feet. 

Tire   PORTAGE   AND    CHEMUNG    GROUP. 

The  strata  of  this  group  are  wanting  in  Western 
Canada,  with  the  exception  of  some  portions  of  black 
bituminous  shale,  supposed  to  represent  the  Gene- 
see shales.  These  black  shales  are  met  with  at 
Cape  Ipperwash  or  Kettle  Point,  in  Bosanquet,  on 
Lake  Huron.  These  black  shales  contain  so  much 
organic  matter  as  to  take  fire,  and  continue  burn- 
ing for  a  long  time,  after  which  the  color  is  chang- 
ed to  brick-red.  Black  shales  have  also  been  found 
on  the  seventh  lot  of  the  third  range  of  Warwick, 
and  twentieth  lot  of  the  seventh  range  of  Brooke. 
I'he  Bosanquet  shale  yields,  in  distillation,  about 
ten  gallons  of  oil  to  the  ton. 


vol- 
Lbout 


stern 

ilack 

>ene- 

th  at 

t,  on 

much 

burn- 

lang- 

(bund 

wick, 

ooke. 

about 


:ii 


